


The Last Test

by Coghead



Category: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - All Media Types
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Light Angst, M/M, Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-21
Updated: 2017-09-21
Packaged: 2019-01-03 21:41:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12155349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Coghead/pseuds/Coghead
Summary: Charlie is older now and upon finding an unexpected occupant in the factory, is faced with dealing with a serious problem on his own. After a very painful tragedy, will he be able to take care of it without his beloved Mentor?





	The Last Test

Charlie was very concerned with how to manage the Wonka factory all by himself. It felt like there was so much that was left unlearned, so much time lost. Come to think of it, had he even been into all of the rooms...? And if he hadn't been, how could he ever know? He wouldn’t. There was no telling what he still needed to know. There was no earthly way of knowing… and everything was a painful reminder of that. Even in his own room held lingering mementoes and photographs that betrayed him. Everything seemed wrong, nothing was the same anymore…

Nothing…

The young man spent most of his life from the time he was just ten years old until now preparing for this moment-- now at age nineteen, almost decade still seemed so little. Just when he was starting to get the hang of it. It happened.

Tragedy stuck.

Tears stung the corners of his eyes as at the sheer thought of being alone now. It had only been about two days, and he didn’t know if he could handle his inner pain. Even with the little people working at his side, he felt so lonely. It didn’t even make sense to him. How could his mentor have fallen victim to one of his own inventions? Was it ironic karma for what he did to the others all those years ago in that contest?

Charlie walked around a comer somewhere deep into the Factory. He was in unknown territory at the moment, places he had only been in once or twice before. There was nothing down here except a couple of processing machines, and condemned rooms… perfect for dark thoughts and depressed thinking. For the first time in a long while he started to think of the deaths of the people he had only known for less then a day. The other not-so-lucky finders of the golden tickets and their parents. Charlie was told gentle lies at the time to spare his delicate senses, but he would eventually come to learn they were not in-fact okay after the accidents that happened on tour. They had perished.

The contest was rigged, of course. How couldn’t it be? This was another little secret kept from him at the time. Charlie was fated to win right from the start. 

His mentor was careful about selecting whom would win each ticket, and it was no accident that Charlie happened to find money in the street that day. That had been carefully planted as well. Charlie was to learn later in his teenhood some people even picked up the first few dollars before Charlie came along finally to collect his, to buy the candy that would change his life forever. The lucky boy didn’t know he was being carefully watched the whole time. Luck had nothing to do with it at all. How ignorant he was at the time... naive and ignorant. He didn’t know the jolly shop keeper was bribed ten million dollars just to make sure he got the thing safely. 

Charlie was lucky, alright. But, only lucky in the sense that he captured special attention from the infamous Candy-Making genius. 

How on Earth such a great man managed to notice the little, pathetically skinny, pale boy gazing up longingly up at the Factory each day, inhaling deeply at the delicious scents inside... he didn’t know. Why Charlie was singled out, he didn’t know or understand… even now. All he knew, was to him... he must have seen something special that set him apart from other children of the world. Or perhaps it was pity? If he had never “found” the ticket, he knew that he and perhaps the rest of his family would have starved to death that long winter. 

It was another harsh fact that just seemed a lot less worrisome when he was ten, childish minds were so innocent and worry-free. 

But of course, he never knew anything about that until he was much older of course, and could fully comprehend the situations that he was actually in. As a child, the sheer chance and joy of it all… was a gift all on it’s own, from the man. Being lucky enough to have found the ticket, to have won the contest and proven to be the best, and luckier still to have won beyond he could have ever imagined…it was like some whimsical fantasy pulled out of a fairy tale. It was all carefully planned, carefully rehearsed like a Broadway play. 

And that was only how it begun... What happened afterward was even better. 

Charlie remembered the shock of it all, learning none of it was his own doing or left up to chance. He was fifteen then when he started to learn the truth and the darker side to all this. It might have been terrifying to any other person, but not to Charlie Bucket. It only made him closer to the man and adore him even more then he had before. Some might have been disturbed, but Charlie freely interpreted as an act of love. 

The youth accepted the two sides of his mentor a long time ago. One was the side everyone admired, and the darker one was hidden cleverly from the world. He was like a chocolate coin, one side was made with white chocolate, and the other was made with dark. But then again, it was the cruelty of the world that caused that side to come out of him, Charlie thought to himself and nodded as he walked. 

Death, death, death it was all he could think about since he left. How selfish was it that Charlie had forgotten all about the others in that contest? The truth was, it was covered up so well and he had been convinced they would be just fine. The youth just never could bring himself to think of them, much. Just how many people died that day altogether? It was so carefully planned… only Children deemed foul had won the other tickets… their demise set up perfectly… And he made sure they were each an only child, in the end he killed whole families…

The youth sighed softly and tried to count on his hands of the number of people he could recall must have died. 

Mr. and Mrs. Gloop and their son Augustus, Mr. and Mrs. Beauregard and their daughter Violet, Mr. and Mrs. Salt and their daughter Veruca, Mr. and Mrs. Teavee and their son Mike-- 

Charlie paused in thought as he ran out of fingers, and as he heard a faint scratching sound come from a large red door. The young man noticed the doorknob jiggling and wondered if a little Oompa Loompa had been trapped in there. 

“Hold on a moment, I’ll be right there.”

The youth's voice still held a soft sweetness to it, even as he was grieving. He pulled out the large ring of keys to unlock it. There was something about the door… it looked vaguely familiar. Charlie then realized it was a condemned room. When had he been in here...? As he went through his keys he squinted up at the title of the room that had a large black ‘X’ painted over it. “…oty…pow…” He frowned for a moment and tried to make something of the incomplete words. Then he heard something that made his skin crawl.

“Help me…” 

A human voice. Suddenly it came flooding back to him. But how could it be!? Did she really survive? How??

Charlie nearly dropped the skeleton key, a precious item given to him only after Wonka’s sad death. The young chocolatier shoved it hard into the keyhole and unlocked it with great effort, flinging the door open. But, that was a mistake.

A moment later he felt himself being swept away in a river of Spotty Powder down the corridor. Spotty Powder was a candy no longer manufactured, due to too many complaints of school districts worldwide. What it did was this; the child sprinkled the power which looked very much like ordinary sugar on their breakfast cereal in the morning. By the time they gobbled it up, large red spots would appear on their skin and give them a sickly appearance, and therefore the child wouldn’t have to go to school that day. It was a brilliant idea! ... Except, it was only a matter of time before it was discovered, and then the jig was up. Adults ruined everything, sometimes.

Charlie cried out in pain when he the powder finally ceased to flow from the room, landing hard up against a wall waist-deep in the stuff. When he opened his eyes they met blood-shot ones that of a gangly figure, a face he had too easily forgotten a long, long time ago.

“M-…Miranda Piker?…”

She coughed and hacked, little clouds of power came out of her mouth. She looked at him madly, clutching hard at his jacket trying desperately to tell him something… but she passed out. 

A few hours and a proper rinse later, Charlie had Miranda placed carefully down on a bed in a guest room somewhere, waiting patiently for her to wake up. It really was Miranda Piker… the girl who had won the fifth golden ticket, number five out of six lucky winners. The young man was still in shock, and not exactly sure what to do with her. Charlie had the room and powder searched through carefully, but her parents where no where to be found. It was only her who was left. The young man was still confused as to how she could have survived, this whole time. She was still wearing the same school uniform she was wearing that day of the tour… wouldn’t she have starved to death and rotted away by now? 

Charlie had realized that he never actually saw any of them die with his own eyes. That would have been too scary to watch. But there was something a little odd about Miranda’s demise. He then realized that she was the only one he didn’t actually witness committing a foolish act, get taken away somewhere, or get mutilated in some way. Miranda and her father only claimed that they would set out to destroy the spotty powder machine… and they disappeared behind the door and never came out. If he tried hard enough, he could remember hearing them scream…

Well anyway, something different had happened, apparently. Miranda had lived, somehow. 'It must have been something about the candy, maybe the preservatives or something else has side-effects we never knew about. It's really miraculous...' Charlie thought to himself as he peered down at the young woman. To be fair, much stranger side-effects had been produced by their candies before. Was it really all that surprising? 

Charlie jumped and awaited eagerly as he noticed she was starting to come-to. Then all at once, she sat up with a loud gasp, breathing in frantic pants. Her expression had a wild look about it and she stared at Charlie.

“Who are you. Where’s my father. What happened to my father?!”

“I-- it’s Charlie Bucket, I was with you on the day of the tour…”

“Don’t be stupid! Charlie Bucket is a kid, like me! I don’t have time for games! What’s the matter with my voice what did that MANIAC do to me?! Where‘s my father?! FATHER!!”

Charlie watched with some sympathy has she clutched at her throat and stared at her hands in a panic. The young man could only assume she must have been in some kind of coma while she was incased in the Spotty Powder. Charlie couldn’t help but pity her... he didn’t want to say what he had to tell her, but what was the use in lying? The responsibility now fell on his shoulders, and his alone. 

“Miranda…I know this might come as some shock, but it really is me. It's Charlie. It’s been... ten years you’ve been in some sort of coma…”

“You’re LYING. You’re not that Charlie kid--! Where’s that dunderhead Wonka?! My father WILL NOT stand for this!”

“I am not lying to you. And even if I tried to lie I… don’t think I’d be very good at it. See for yourself, if you don’t believe me. You’re not nine years old anymore.”

Charlie pointed at a mirror on the wall to her left and watched sadly as she stared at her reflection in disbelief. Tears started to leak from her eyes and she blurted out angrily,

“It’s all HIS fault. I shouldn’t have gone to this stupid tour in the FIRST place, I told father not to close the school-- where is he I want my mother and father!”

Charlie sighed once more and his eyes fell. 

“I’m afraid they’re gone. They were … killed, when you set out to destroy the machine in a related accident.”

Charlie didn’t have knowledge that this was the complete truth, but he could only assume for now. Enraged, she slapped him hard in the face.

“You’re LYING!”

“…No, no I’m afraid not. I’m so sorry…” Charlie rubbed his now-stinging cheek and was a little comforted by the sensation of his own gloved hand. It reminded him of his mentor... 

In spite of her rage, the young man really did feel sorry for her. Loss was terrible. Charlie knew what it felt like to lose someone special, in fact, he lost many people precious to him. First his grandparents, who refused any of Wonka's marvelous Wonka-Vite that could have allow them to expand their life-spans, if they used the pills correctly. The first time they tried the pills, they weren't careful with the dosage and the results did not turn out so nice. It was a bit of a pain to fix. Afterward the debacle, it was just too much for them to want to try the pills again, even if it meant they could have more time. In the end, they opted to leave the good Earth when their natural life came to an end as God intended. It was extremely, extremely painful and difficult for Charlie to accept and understand. Especially from his Grandpa Joe. 

His own parents met a very sudden fate as well. Years of poverty and working harsh factory jobs took a serious toll on their health. Both fell very sick several years ago, and while they were in far greater comfort than they would have been in their ramshackle little house, they too perished.

The losses wore heavy on Charlie's heart, but he always felt that somehow, he would be alright as long as he had his mentor. They became nearly inseparable and almost impossibly close... it was wonderful. 

The finally, two days ago... somehow he couldn’t even finish the thought on his own. Charlie waited patiently for her to stop howling, and kicking in grief before the next words came from her mouth. 

“Where’s that NO GOOD murderer Mr. Wonka? I have a bone to pick with that- that MONSTER. Wait a minute- What are YOU even DOING here anyway?”

“…I'm here because I won the contest, Miranda... I won the contest that day. The prize, it turned out to be this entire Factory… and I became heir to everything, and Mr. Wonka's protégée. That’s the short version of it. I’m afraid... I’m the best person you can talk to, because… Mr. Wonka he’s… he’s not alive anymore, either…”

It hurt so badly just to admit that lone, sad fact. Charlie felt himself hold back a lump in this throat. Miranda was less then moved and she crossed her arms over her chest, feeling a tiny bit smug.

“Good! Whatever happened to him wasn’t half as bad as he deserved! The man was a complete lunatic.” She added on bitterly, “I hope he suffered worse than my parents did.”

“Don’t say that...” Charlie tried to refrain from saying anything but it came out before he could compose himself, clenching his jaw tightly afterward, "Please..." 

“Why shouldn’t I? He RUINED my bloody LIFE!” 

“Mr. Wonka warned you not to do it. This place is still a factory, factories are dangerous places... you did it anyway- you had a choice, it wasn’t his fault. You and your parents should have listened, but you chose to break the rules instead. Please don't think I'm cold, it's just the truth of it...”

“I CHOSE TO BREAK THE RULES?!” She stood up on the bed to her full height, still in her school uniform. Her entire belly was exposed and her skirt was now far too short, she almost looked like some kind of showgirl, but if she noticed this she didn’t care. Her voice was shrill, “I, I BROKE THE RULES?! WHEN HE MAKES BARBARIC CANDIES LIKE THAT? WHAT’S THAT, ISN’T THAT BREAKING THE RULES!?” 

Charlie’s eyes were downcast and he adjusted his glove absent-mindedly. I guess I forgot who I was talking to, he thought to himself. She doesn’t understand, there's few people in the world who actually understood the brilliance of Mr. Wonka's magic. After a moment he looked up at her and sighed.

“Is there anything I can help you with...? I'm sure your friends and other relatives would be overjoyed to see you. I can send you with some money for your troubles, and perhaps a bit of chocolate as well, unless you'd prefer something else?”

Then all at once, it was as though an invisible light bulb popped up over Miranda’s head. She scoffed and hopped down from the bed in a childish manner and started to walk out of the room. 

“You can show me the exit, that's all-- because I‘m through with this conversation. I have all I need.”

Very well. Charlie tried his best, but she didn't seem to want anything more from him. What did it ANYTHING matter anymore, really... Charlie started walking with her towards the elevator and pressed a button leading to the main gates. 

Once they were in the sunlight and the gates parted, she turned to him with a sly sort of smile.

“See you later.”

Charlie blinked for a moment in the sunlight, he wasn't entirely sure what that meant. “Goodbye.” 

Charlie noticed briefly that on-lookers had come up for a closer look at the young girl walking out of the Factory. Surely she would be all over the news and slander his good name among all kinds of other things.

However, in the state of mind he was in… Willy Wonka, or the lack of him, was all he could think about. He dismissed the on-lookers and retreated quickly back into the factory, when he shouldn’t have. It would not be the last time he saw Miranda Piker.

* * *

“She’s… suing me...” Charlie’s he clutched the phone with both hands, leaning with his back against a wall for support. Charlie bit his lip, he knew he should have seen this coming and should have offered her a LOT more money. “H-how much is she asking for...?”

Several little workers were standing by him, gazing up at him anxiously for news. Several others hovered in the doorway, most of them didn’t speak English but they could sense something was horribly wrong. Charlie’s expression didn’t help their anxiety as he looked stricken, taking in the news.

“…No, I'm... afraid that wont work at all…”

A few moments longer and his face went quite pale, “…Yes… yes I understand… please… make an arrangement for a meeting with her immediately…” Charlie couldn’t say anymore, he nearly dropped the phone back into it’s place on the receiver and slid slowly down the wall until he was in a sitting position. How could he have been so naive. Of course she was going to sue and go for everything, she was after the whole Factory. Of course, this included every last recipe. Miranda was going to just take it away, just like that. For the first time since his death, he had to be in Wonka’s private office and this was the reason why. To learn he was losing everything, now. Charlie felt tremors course through his body and his mind starting to snap, he drew his knees close to his chest and wrapped his arms around them.

A young female Oompa Loompa gently placed both of her tiny hands on his knee and looked at him in a pleading way, trying to find out information and wanting to offer him comfort all at once. Tears threatened to fall from his eyes as they met hers, what was going to happen to them? He furrowed his brow and looked away, “Leave me...please. Right now.” 

They looked reluctant and worried, but they obeyed and closed the door behind them. As soon as they were gone, and he was sure they weren’t hovering at the door, he got up and walked directly over to a large portrait of Wonka hanging on a wall. Charlie burst into tears, tears he had been holding in for too long and leaned into it, pounding two balled fists in to it and collapsing into it in frustration.

“Why did you have to leave me, too?! WHY?! I wasn't ready, can't you see what happened?!” A few dry sobs escaped his throat and he shook his head, dipping his forehead to the now exposed canvas. He had somehow dislodged the protective glass and it slipped from the frame and had shattered on the floor. In his despairing moment, he rambled on to himself, wishing somehow the words could reach his mentor. 

“There just wasn't enough time for me to get it together, I failed, she’s going to take the Factory, she’s taking everything… I’m so sorry, Mr. Wonka…I promised you. I promised I’d take care of it and look what I did…” He tried to calm down, but he only got further upset, “Maybe you intended this? Is it better this way? Maybe it’s better off in her hands…”

Almost as if it was in response to that remark, the portrait fell suddenly straight down and landed painfully on Charlie’s foot. After recovering from the pain he sighed, wiping his eyes. “...I guess I needed that...?" 

Charlie leaned the portrait up against the wall and kneeled in front of it among the glass, his head bowed. The sight was almost mimicking something holy, as if he was praying to it. Charlie thought hard for a long, long time about the case that would be awaiting. His mentor was gone, but the least Charlie could do for him was preserve the Factory. Yes, the precious factory and all of it's secrets and magic that were contained inside it. 

Unfortunately for Charlie, times had changed since the tour took place and Miranda appeared to have the upper hand. The media put a lot of pressure on things as it was, many people were going to want answers from him, soon. And Charlie being the only witness didn’t help either, it was his word against hers. He was sure to lose. 

But giving up the Factory was unthinkable.

“Why can’t I just be more like you...? ... Why did you pick me?” The young man whispered, daring to sit up and reach to pet the face of his painted-mentor on the canvas. “What would you do if you were me? How would you handle this, if you were still here…”

It only took a few moments before the answer, or rather a plan came to his mind. Of course. The solution was plain, but far from simple. Charlie would have to be very careful about this, but ... could he pull off such a thing? 

His own thoughts shocked him, but he realized that it was absolutely the only way. 

* * *

“Remind me again, Bucket, why you didn’t want me to bring my lawyer.” Miranda fidgeted in her seat across from him in the nicely furnished purple and blue room usually meant for tea time. And they were having tea… it was just a little unusual, at four in the morning. 

“I just thought I’d make you a much more stable offer than before. I apologize for the time and secrecy, I‘m just very worried about the media constantly watching every move we make... You understand” Charlie's face was very serious, “I just wanted some kind of meeting off the legal record, between the two of us. Now... I’d rather not take this whole matter to court, I can offer you any sum of money you want.” Charlie's clothes were much more casual and warm compared to the fanciful attire he eventually became accustomed to. At the moment he wore a sweater vest with a button-up. His sleeves were rolled-up at his elbow, and his hands were bare. It was unusually hot in the room, but the factory in general was a very warm place. 

“You’ve got to be kidding me. Are you trying to take advantage of my tiny nine-year-old brain? I’m not that stupid, Bucket. It’s not even about money for me, I want to RUIN this place.” She fidgeted again, her face flushing a little from the temperature. "I thought it was obvious." 

Charlie poured her some sweet smelling creamy soda with a smile. The frothy drink was just too cold to resist. “I’d really appreciate it if you could at the very least look at my offer. I'm sure the two of us can figure something out.” 

Miranda picked up the soda and gulped the sweet liquid down greedily, eyeing him with a furrowed brow. After downing the glass, she spoke in response with a laugh, “Why would I want to do that? We both know how the case is going to go. What can you offer me… eh…” She tensed a little and held her forehead, “Stupid brain-freeze!!” 

Charlie poured her some more of the drink and leaned back a little in his chair, his hands resting against his stomach. “If that’s the case then maybe we can come up with some sort of negotiation or compromise-- do you know what that is?”

She did not like that, and practically growled in response, “YES I do thank you! I’m not an idiot! You adults think you‘re so clever…well I‘m all grown up now too, and guess what. I have you right where I want you and there‘s nothing you can do about it.” Greedily, she gulped down more soda, “EVERYONE feels sorry for me. You should just hand the Factory over now, so I can SMASH it to smithereens!”

Charlie sighed and shook his head in a sad manner, placing a hand on his face, “You’re right, Miranda... This was just one last attempt to keep the Factory… it’s my home, after all…my whole family is buried here…” 

“Well I don’t care about that. That’s your problem.” The childish young woman frowned for a moment and set down her cup. 

“You’re right… I’ll tell you what. I’ll make you a different offer right now.” Charlie leaned forward a bit, feeling nervous. “I’ll give you the deed to the Factory freely-- if you’ll let me keep the recipes, and let me find a home for the Oompa Loompas. Think about it, you’ll be completely held accountable for what happens to them if you destroy their home. The recipes are useless to you, because I’m the only one who knows how to read them. Mr. Wonka was very careful about his recipes after the spies started coming in. They're all coded, there's no law written that could make me give you that code.”

Miranda started to think it over, her eyes narrowing. “And I can smash it as soon as it’s mine, then?”

“Of course you can. I'll be completely on my own, I'll be essentially starting all over. As soon as it’s yours…” Charlie pulled a white envelope he had tucked away in his shirt and offered it to her swiftly. His eyes shone a bright green and his face was expressionless. “Just take it…look inside, and see for yourself…”

The youth grinned and snatched up the envelope greedily and tore it open, as she did so Charlie stood up carefully. The young man took out a pair of purple gloves and carefully put them on his own hands and took the time to smooth down his shirt and vest. 

Her brow furrowed as she read the paper, clutching it tightly. 

“HEY this isn’t right--!” She stood up, intending to wave it in his face but to her astonishment she fell to the ground in a dizzy haze. 

Charlie knelt down and gently took the paper from her, “Hm?… Well that’s strange…” He brought a hand to his chin thoughtfully and read the paper aloud, “Dear Charlie Bucket, I’ve come to realize my actions were out of grief and pain, and were very rash. I’m sorry for spreading such slander about Mr. Wonka, because I can remember clearly now the details that happened that day--”

“Ssssssiiicccckk…” The girl gazed up at him, her voice hoarse and her skin turning a yellowish color, “I’mmm siiiiccccckkkkk hellllppp--”

“-- Ahem. How my father and I tried to sabotage one of his machines when we were clearly told not to. I’ve decided to accept your offer of payment for my pain and suffering, and leave this out of the court. I’ll alert my lawyer as soon as I hear from you again, I trust this letter will reach you safely. Sincerely, Miranda Piker... And. You, just. Got. Your. Fingerprints. ALL. OVER. IT.” He grinned and stood over her, waving the paper proudly. 

At that moment several Oompa Loompas came into the room, picking up Miranda’s trembling body. A few were humming to themselves, but a few of the older ones were few singing softly,

“Oh Miranda Mary Piker...  
How could anybody like her...”

Charlie smiled in triumph and folded up the precious paper, placing it into a neat little wooden box on the table. The young man couldn’t bring himself to look at her at first, as they started to carry her off. They were preparing to take her back to the hotel she was staying in, the Elevator set to go with the coordinates just outside her window. The invisibility button would insure no one would ever see her enter. In a desperate attempt to threaten him, she struggled with all her strength and sat up a bit, gurgling in a horribly hoarse voice.

“IIII’llll…ttteelllll…”

Charlie turned and walked over to face her, walking with them until they were out the doorway. 

“I don’t think you will. You’ve got a nasty genetically altered form of a fatal disease-- but it’s not contagious, not to anyone except you. In a matter of minutes, you wont be able to speak or lift your arms, in hours you’ll be dead.” It shocked him how cold his voice was. He added gently, “I’m sorry. But you're not sick for pretend anymore, you're sick for real. You left me no choice. Goodbye forever, Miranda Piker… You get nothing. You lose. Good day, miss.”

Charlie very slowly shut the door and sighed a very, very long sigh. The ordeal was over. Charlie had done it, he had saved the Factory. 'I did it, Mr. Wonka…' he thought as he melted with both relief and repulsion at what he had done. God, a part of him actually enjoyed it. What had he done… -- no. It was necessary.  
It was over now, it was all over. …or was it. 

He heard a sound that made his heart nearly stop in his chest.

 

Clap…

 

Clap…

 

Clap…

 

Charlie was holding his breath and using the door to brace himself, but he forced himself upright and to turn his body to the source of the noise. 

Good lord, it couldn‘t be...

But there stood his Mentor, top hat and all. The man emerged seemingly out of no where and was bounding towards Charlie with a bounce in his step. When he stopped a few feet before the young man, he let his cane stand alone on the floor. Somehow, whenever he let go of his cane, it always managed to stay in the upright position until he grabbed it again. 

“Not bad, my dear boy! Not bad at all-- quite clever. I have to admit you had me going for a while there, I wasn’t sure if you’d actually find out there was no other way and go through with it but, well you did and what a splendid job!” Then that grin, “Didja miss me?”

The quirky man held out his arms and cocked his head, awaiting some expected affection. It really was him. Only he would react like this, only he would do something this mad. 

“You…” Charlie could hardly stand, “Were alive…the whole time…?”

“Well obviously. At least, I think I was the whole time.” Mr. Wonka gave himself a quick glance over, and then crossed his ankles from where he stood. His outstretched hands were growing a little tired now, and he gave them a small shake for emphasis, “...Well are you just gonna keep standin' there gawkin', or what.” He curled a long gloved index finger and beckoned him, ever smiling and beaming with pride for his protégée. "'C'mere." 

Charlie couldn’t even find it in himself to be angry at him, he scurried quickly over to the man like an eager child being away from a parent for too long and hugged him as tightly as he could. A little too tightly.

Wonka chuckled and gently pet his back, “You didn’t really believe I’d let myself fizzle out because of that. Admit it, that was just weird. I should have been more convincing.”

“You’re alive… You're alive, that's all that matters...”

“Yes, we’ve established that I think. You’ve still got a lot to learn, I can’t die. Uh…” The older man cleared his throat, “Not yet, anyway. But, I had to know how far you’d be willing to go to protect the Factory, Charlie. So I saved one of the brats for such a test, educed a coma and everything.”

“It was the hardest test you’ve ever given me…” Charlie would not let go of the man. Tears of mixed-emotions freely rolled down his cheeks, but he was still able to speak. "I don't think I'll ever really be the same..." 

“But you passed! With flying colors. I couldn’t be more proud.” Mr. Wonka gently toyed with Charlie’s hair and added, “I’m glad the Factory means as much to you as it does to me.”

Charlie pulled back a little and gazed at him, shaking his head very subtly. 

“I didn’t do it for the Factory, Mr. Wonka… I did it for you...”

“…Oh…” A light blush formed on the older man’s face. 

Charlie looked at him, his expression exasperated and he cupped his face in his hands without thinking, “I’m willing to do anything for you, I just KILLED for you…I just killed… When will you be ready to trust me? Completely...” Charlie continued, "...I know you don't think I'm... ready, to be your equal. But I love you so much..." 

Wonka smiled gently, “I trust you, Charlie... And I wouldn't put ya' through all of this if I didn't love ya' to bits." Upon saying the word 'bits' the man lightly tapped his index finger to the end of Charlie's nose. "But the world isn't quite not ready yet, we need to wait a couple more years. Nope! The world isn't quite ready and... Well--"

"... Neither am I." Charlie finished the sentence for his Mentor, his shoulders fell slightly. The young man couldn't help but be a little disappointed. "... I just want it so badly. I want the two of us to be in this business together, I mean-- really, together... and I want people to know it..." 

Mr. Wonka took Charlie's chin and gently tilted the younger one's head back. "I know, dear boy." Charlie closed his eyes as he felt the latex-like texture of his Mentor's gloved thumb slide across his lower-lip. Charlie had been conditioned to expect a kiss upon feeling such a sensation from his Mentor, his lips puckered just the slightest amount and he seemed ready to receive it. 

It was not a kiss this time, however. On occasion, his mentor would elect to pop little candies or chocolates into his mouth instead. This time, it was a yellow pill. Well, half of one. In a matter of moments Charlie appeared to be about ten-years-old. Wonka held on to his young heir as his body transformed back into the familiar child he once met long ago, and began to carry him out of the room. The clothing that the boy had been wearing previously was now much too big. Everything Charlie had been wearing from the waist-down simply slipped off his small body. His shoes, his pants-- even his underwear. Only the oversized shirt and sweater clung to his body as he held onto his Mentor. Charlie gazed up at him.

“How much more time do you think I'll need before you think I'm ready, Mr. Wonka?" His child-voice had returned, and he couldn't imagine feeling any smaller. 

“I think we should give it ohhh, ten more years.” Mr. Wonka patted Charlie's back, "You're doin' great though, kiddo." 

“And, we’ll be equals...? Do you promise?" 

“Indeed. And we’ll go on forever and ever. Just you and me... Changin' the world. One invention and candy at a time. Now, I think we gotta get you to sleep. Ya have any idea what time it is?” Wonka grinned at the prospect and Charlie couldn't help but smile back, "No more questions~"

"...Mister.. Wonka...? Just one more question..." Charlie put on what he knew was his best and most innocent expression. Charlie was almost too shy to ask his Mentor, but he knew he had to or it could annoy him. "...You and I can still be..together, right? It wont be a problem when I'm like this, will it?" 

Charlie's mentor leaned close to his ear, his voice became just a tad lower than usual. "...Is it a problem for you?" 

"No..." The youth whispered, he felt goosebumps cover his skin and a dark blush form in his face. 

"Then it's not a problem..." 

Charlie smiled, and leaned his head on his Mentor's shoulder. "I love you, Mr. Wonka..."

**Author's Note:**

> Some things worthy of note:
> 
> ~Miranda Piker was a character that Roald Dahl was initially going to put into the story, but his publishers scrapped it.  
> ~Wonka-Vite is a real thing that exists in the Wonka-Universe and it's affects are written about in Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator.   
> ~In the original publication of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the children and their parents really did die in the accidents.  
> ~In one of the earliest drafts of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, golden tickets were given out weekly and many, many, many more kids died inside it. 
> 
> I wrote this a long while back and decided to make adjustments to it and post it up here. I'm not sure how alive the Wonka fandom is these days, much less people who view the story very darkly or who ship these two. But! Hopefully someone out there enjoys this. I love these two to pieces.


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